The United States once again is providing humanitarian assistance to
the people of North Korea, who are struggling to survive under
political repression and very difficult living conditions. In the most
recent donation, the United States will send some 50,000 metric tons of
agricultural commodities to the North Korean people as part of the
World Food Program's 2004 emergency food program. The United States has
strong disagreements with the government of North Korea, but has
consistently chosen to provide humanitarian assistance to prevent
starvation in the country. Since 1995 the United States has provided
more than 2 million metric tons of food to the North Korean people,
worth more than $600 million.